Married to The Slytherin Prince
by Princess Weasley
Summary: A Samantha Potter (OC) and Draco Malfoy one-shot story. What happens when the Slytherin prince tells his deranged aunt that he's kinda in love with the Gryffindor golden girl and Princess, but she's in love with one of the Weasley twins. Rated M for up and coming one-shot chapters. Pairing Draco x OC possible future OC x George.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: A Samantha Potter and Draco Malfoy one-shot story. So this is a one-shot about when their held prisoner at Malfoy Manor and how Bellatrix married Sam and Draco. Story in Sam's point of view, from when they first turned up at the Manor. Also let's for the sake of this story say that there is a marriage spell in the Harry Potter universe.**

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><p><span><strong>Married to the Slytherin Prince!<strong>

As they entered the house, Sam had a feeling of dread. What was going to happen when and if Draco Malfoy; the Slytherin prince recognized her and Harry. Every thing was a blur, the only thing that Sam remembered was Bellatrix screaming to leave Hermione and her; well the others were to be taken down to the cellar. She blacked out after that.

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><p>Sam awake to Hermione and Bellatrix screaming, she turned her head to find Bellatrix torturing Hermione. Sam tried to get to Hermione to help her but she was stopped by Claire Malfoy grabbing and pulling her into Draco's arms.<p>

"Keep your wife put, Draco."

Sam started to freak out, looking at her left hand before turning on Draco.

"What the hell did you do to me?" she growled.

"I didn't do it." he growled back.

"Aunt Bella, did a marriage spell on you and Draco; well you were out of it, Potter." Claire hissed into Sam's ear.

Hermione screamed again cutting into their conversation, making Sam try to fight her way out of Draco's arms.

"Let me go, Malfoy." she growled again, but blacked out again.

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><p>"NOOOOOOOOOOOO!"<p>

Sam's eyes snapped open just as Ron bursts into the room, everything was still a blur. Just then there was a peculiar grinding noise from above, all of them looked up in time to see the crystal chandelier tremble; then with an ominous jingle it began to fall, Bellatrix dropped Hermione and threw herself aside. Draco pushed Sam away from him as his mother dragged both him and Claire out of the way. The chandelier crashed to the floor in an explosion of crystal,falling on top of Hermione, Sam and the goblin. Sam who was shielding Hermione from an more harm after she was pushed blacked out yet again from the chandelier falling on her back.


	2. Chapter 2

****A/N: A Samantha Potter and Draco Malfoy one-shot story. So this is a one-shot about when their held prisoner at Malfoy Manor and how Bellatrix married Sam and Draco. Story in Harry's point of view, from when they turn up to Shell Cottage after being at the Malfoy Manor. Also let's for the sake of this story say that there is a marriage spell in the Harry Potter universe.****

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><p><strong>What happened to Sam<strong>

After a minute or so, Harry realised that they had, after all, come to the right place, for here were Bill and Fleur, Dean and Luna, gathering round him as he knelt over the elf.

"Samantha and Hermione?" He said suddenly. "Where are they?"

"Ron's taken Hermione inside," said Bill. "She'll be all right."

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><p>Dean carried the injured Griphook into the house, Fleur and Luna hurryed with both supporting Sam who now was awake but just barely; now Bill was making suggestions sbout burying the elf. Harry agreed without really knowing what he was saying.<p>

"I want to do it properly," were the first word which Harry was fully conscious of speaking. 'Not by magic. Have you got a spade?"

And shortly afterwards he had set to work, alone, digging the grave in the place that Bill had shown him at the end of the garden, between the bushes. He dug with a kind of fury, relishing the manual work, glorying in the non-magic of it, for every drop of his sweat and every blister felt like a gift to the elf who had saved their lives.

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><p>Harry lost track of time. He know only that the darkness had lighted a few degrees when he was rejoined by Ron and Dean.<p>

"How's Sam and Hermione?"

"Hermione's better," said Ron. "Fleur's looking after her."

"What happened to Sam has gone her pretty shaken up," Dean added. "but Bill and Luna are trying to covince her to have a nap."

Harry had his retort ready for when they asked him why he had not simply created a perfect grave with his wand, but he did not need it. They jumped down into the hole he had made with spades of their own, and together they worked in silence until the hole seemed deep enough.

Harry wrapped the elf more snugly in his jacket. Ron sat on the edge of the grave and stripped off his shoes and socks, which he placed upon the elf's bare feet. Dean produced a woollen hat, which Harry placed carefully upon Dobby's head, muffling his bat-like ears.

" We should close his eyes. "

Harry had not heard the others coming through the darkness. Bill was wearing a travelling cloak; Fleur a large, white apron, from the pocket of which protruded a bottle of what Harry recognised to be Skele-Gro. Hermione was wrapped in a borrowed dressing gown, pale and unsteady on her feet; Ron put an arm around her when she reached him. Sam looked to be fine, but she was also unsteady on her feet; her hair was worst then Hermione's had ever been it was a big birds nest, Harry had never seen his twin sister's hair that bad not even when she gets out of bed; she ended up having to lean on Dean for support and she was playing around with a gold band on her finger, like she was trying to get it to come off. Luna, who was huddled in one of Fleur's coats, crouched down and placed her fingers tenderly upon the elf's eyelids, sliding them over his glassy stare.

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><p>Harry wasn't sure what the hell happened to Sam, but she was jumpy every time someone walked up behind her. So he had to find out what happened.<p>

Well Luna was not in the room her, Sam and Hermione were sharing; Harry, Ron and Hermione cornered Sam.

"Sam, what the hell happened to you at the Malfoys', we won't tell anyone."

Sam put a Silencing Charm on the room before starting. "I don't know exactly everything that happened to me because I kept blacking out but well I was out of it, Bellatrix did some type of marriage spell on me and Draco Malfoy; and well now I can't get this stupid ring off my finger. It's like Bellatrix cursed it to stay on, every time I try to get it off it hurts." Sam sighed, trying to get the ring off her finger again. "Bill and Fleur have both tried to cast counter-curses to remove it, but nothing seems to work."

"She what?" Harry asked, shocked.

"Married me and Draco Malfoy." Sam answered. "No one needs to know about this. As soon as I can possibly get this thing sorted out, I'm free to be with the right guy; not to the bloody Slytherin prince."


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: A Samantha Potter and Draco Malfoy one-shot story. What happens when the Slytherin prince tells his deranged aunt that he's kinda in love with the Gryffindor golden girl and Princess, but she's in love with one of the Weasley twins. So this part is a one-shot about well they are at Shell Cottage and Sam decided to go for a walk to clear her head and to get out of the crowded house. Also let's for the sake of this story say that there is a marriage spell in the Harry universe. Most of this part is in Sam's point of view, a bit is in Bill's point of view.

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><p><strong>Werewolf Attack<strong>

Sam decided to go for a walk along the beach to get out of the crowded cottage, she got lost in thought; trying to work out how to get out of her "marriage" to the Slytherin Prince. But then again would he even let her out if it when and if she worked out a way to get out of it. Would the bloody ferret even care that she wasn't in love with him; but in love with none other then Fred Weasley.

She had a funny feeling that she'd be stuck in a loveless marriage until the day she died. Just then she heard a noise, turning around well grabbing her wand; Greyback came out of nowhere. Sam had on clue in how he got away for the Malfoy manor and the wrath of Voldemort. Greyback started to come towards her so she started to back up before turning back around to run back to the cottage; Greyback lashed out at Sam, his nails digging into right shoulder. She shot a 'Stupefy' spell at him, making him fly backwards as bit; dragging his nails down her shoulder blade.

Sam now used this time to run as fast as she could back up the beach to Bill and Fleur's. As she got close enough to the house, she saw Bill walk outside so she yelled out making him turn to face her.

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><p>Bill saw Sam running towards the house before yelling out to Fleur. Fleur exited the house just in time for both her and Bill to see Sam collapse in the sand. Bill run down to the beach picking Sam up and carrying her up to the house; that's when both him and Fleur spotted the claw marks down Sam's shoulder blade.<p>

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><p>Sam wake to Fleur cleaning her wounded shoulder and a fuming Bill glaring at her.<p>

"Save it Bill," she choked out. "You and I both know that the house is to crowded. I just needed some space to think."

"What were you thinking you could of been killed," Bill yelled at her. "What would I of told Fred, that the girl he loves got herself killed under my watch."

"Oh please he doesn't know that Harry, Ron, Hermione and I are even here."

"What the hell happened out there... Sam?" he asked, a bit afraid of the answer. "You collapsed on the sand and you have a very bad claw mark down your right shoulder"

"Well, I was going for a walk; I got lost in my thoughts went out of nowhere Greyback turned up so I started to head back here but he dug his nails into my shoulder so I 'Stupefied' him then I run back here."

Just as Sam finished telling Bill that, Fleur finished cleaning and dressing her wounded shoulder.


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Next part of my Samantha Potter and Draco Malfoy one-shot story. What happens when the Slytherin prince tells his deranged aunt that he's kinda in love with the Gryffindor golden girl and Princess, but she's in love with one of the Weasley twins. So in this part of the one-shot we have some good news and some bad news. Also let's for the sake of this story say that there is a marriage part is in Sam's point of view.**

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><p><span>Of Tiaras and Babies<span>

Sam was sitting in the kitchen one blustery April evening while Harry was helping Fleur prepare dinner. They felt responsible: it was, after all, them who had insisted that the goblin remained at Shell Cottage so that they could question him; that Bill, Fred, George and Mr Weasley could no longer work. Sam stayed away from the goblin as much as she could; when ever she spent too long around Griphook, the more she realised that she didn't like the goblin very much.

"I'm sorry," Harry said to Fleur. "Sam and I never meant you to have to deal with all of this."

Sam looked up just as Fleur set some knives to work, chopping up steaks for Griphook and Bill, who had preferred his meat bloody ever since he had been attacked by Greyback. Sam growled at the sight of the meat. Harry and Fleur turned around to look at Sam; just in time to see her almost jump from her seat to pounce on the meat.

"Did, you just growl?" Harry asked, shocked that his twin growled like a wolf.

"I zink I better cut zome more bloody zteaks." Fleur states, smiling sympathetic at Sam.

Sam rushed out of the room right in to Bill.

"Whoa, slow down there Sam; hold your horses... What's gotten in to you?"

"I growled at the meat and almost pounced on it." Sam growled.

Bill raised an eyebrow.

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><p>Bill appeared, leading Mr Ollivander down the stairs. The wandmaker still looked exceptionally frail, and he clung to Bill's arm as the latter supported him, carrying a large suitcase.<p>

"I'm going to miss you, Mr Ollivander," said Luna, approaching the old man.

"And I you, my dear," said Ollivander, patting her on the shoulder. "You were an inexpressible comfort to me in that terrible place."

"So, au revoir, Mr Ollivander," said Fleur, kissing him on both cheeks. "And I wonder whezzer you could oblige me by delivering a package to Bill's Auntie Muriel? I never returned 'er tiara."

"It will be an honour," said Ollivander, with a little bow, "the very least I can do in return for your generous hospitality."

Sam walked forwarded holding a worn velvet case, which Fleur opened to show the wandmaker. The tiara sat glittering and twinkling in the light from the low-hanging lamp.

"Moonstones and diamonds," said Griphook, who had sidled into the room without any of them noticing. "Made by goblins, I think?"

"And paid for by wizards," said Bill quietly, as Sam snapped the box closed and the goblin shot Bill a look that was both furtive and challenging.

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><p>There was a bang on the front door, everyone's heads turned towards it; Fleur came running out of the kitchen, looking frightened. Bill jumped to his feet, his wand pointing at the door; Harry, Ron, Hermione and Sam did the same.<p>

"Who is it?" Bill called.

"It is I, Remus John Lupin!" called a voice over the howling wind. Sam glared daggers at the back of Bill's head, she couldn't believe he sent for Lupin; about her shoulder. "I am a werewolf, married to Nymphadora Tonks, and you, the Secret Keeper of Shell Cottage, told me the address and bade me come in an emergency!"

"Lupin," Bill muttered, and he ran to the door and wrenched it open.

Lupin fell over the threshold, he was white-faced, wrapped in a travelling cloak, his greying hair windswept. He straightened up, looked around the room, making sure of who was there. Sam noticed that Griphook had sidled out of the room, before Lupin cried aloud, "It's a boy! We've named him Ted, after Dora's father!"

"Wha-? Tonks - Tonks has had the bay?" Hermione shrieked, in Sam's ear.

"Yes, yes, she's had the baby!" shouted Lupin, as he strode round the table and pulled Sam and Harry into a hug; the scene in the kitchen of Grimmauld Place all forgotten. "You'll be the godfather and godmother?"

"U - Us? Harry stammered.

"Yes you two, of course - Dora quite agrees, no one better-"

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><p>Just then Bill pulled both Sam and Lupin aside in the kitchen; Sam knew that it was too good to be true.<p>

"I knew it , I just knew it." she growled at Bill. "You sent for Lupin to look at my shoulder."

"Sam calm down, I owled Remus for his opinion; I had no idea that he was going to turn up with the news about the baby."

"Right, let's look at your shoulder Sam," Lupin cuts in. "I really need to be getting back to Dora."

Sam turns around and removes her top so Lupin can look at her shoulder. Turning to look at Bill, he said "And you're sure it was on the full moon that Sam was attacked?"

"Yes."

As Sam put her top back on Lupin sighed "Sorry Sam but it looks like because he attacked you on the full moon, chances are that you'll may or not be a werewolf; we'll just have to wait and see."

Sam didn't know what to say... Her; may or not be a werewolf.


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: What happens when the Slytherin prince tells his deranged aunt that he's kinda in love with the Gryffindor golden girl and Princess, but she's in love with one of the Weasley twins. So in this part of the one-shot we have Harry, Sam, Ron and Hermione along with Griphook break into Gringotts, as well as Sam thinking about snapping Bellatrix's wand. Also let's for the sake of this story say that there is a marriage spell. **Also I always pictured Gringotts with three sets of doors to match the three different coins: Gallon, Sickle and Knut. **This part is in Sam's point of view.**

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><p>Their plans were made, their preparations complete; in the smallest bedroom a single coarse, long, black hair (plucked from the sweater Hermione had been wearing at Malfoy Manor) lay curled in a small glass phial on the mantelpiece.<br>"And you'll be using her actual wand," said Harry, nodding towards the walnut wand, "So I reckon you'll be pretty convincing."  
>Sam watched as Hermione looked frightly at the wand like it might sting or bite her as she picked it up.<br>"I hate it, I really hate it." she said in a low voice. "It doesn't work properly for me... it's like a bit of her."  
>"It'll probably help you get in character, though," said Ron. "Think what that wand has done!"<br>"But that's my point," said Hermione. "This is the wand that tortured Neville's mum and dad, and who knows how many other people? This is the wand that killed Sirius... not to mention marry Sam to Malfoy!"  
>Sam looked at Harry, who looked like her was in deep thought; her on the other hand had the urge to hop off the bed and go over and snap the bloody thing in half, or even slice it in half with Gryffindor's sword, which was propped against the wall beside Harry.<br>"I would like that wand better if I snapped it into two." Sam growled, looking at the wand in disgust. "I hate it as much as you, Mione." 

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><p>Small green shoots were forcing their way up through the red earth of Dobby's grave now; in a year's time the mound would be covered in flowers. The white stone that bore the elf's name had already acquired a weathered look. The sound of a door opening made Sam come back to reality and look around.<br>Bellatrix Lestrange was striding across the lawn towards them, accompanied by Griphook. Even though Sam knew perfectly well that it was Hermione, deep down she really wanted to hex and curse the living daylights out of Bellatrix for marrying her to the "ferret prince".  
>"She tasted disgusting. OK, Ron, come here so I can do you..."<br>Sam was too lost in her thoughts of hexing and cursing the real Bellatrix that she didn't hear Ron complaining. He was to be given a completely fake identity, and they were trusting to the malevolent aura cast by "Bellatrix" to protect him. Meanwhile Harry, Sam and Griphook were to be concealed under the Invisibility cloak.

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><p>Hermione drew out Bellatrix's wand and tapped a brick in the nondescript wall in front of them. At once the bricks began to whirl and spin: a hole appeared in the middle of them, which grew wider and wider, finally forming the archway on to the narrow cobbled street that was Diagon Alley.<br>It was quiet, barely time for the shops to be open, and there were hardly any shoppers abroad. The crooked, cobbled street as much altered now, more shops than ever were boarded-up, though several new establishments dedicated to the Dark Arts had been created since their last visit. As Sam looked around her she spotted the Weasley Twins shop, the vibrant colours of it had dulled. She was half expecting to see them rushing around inside, but deep down she knew that them were in hiding. Also as she looked around she saw her and Harry's own faces glaring down at them from posters plastered over many windows. She was sick, she was so surprised how much of a change Diagon Alley had from the bustling place that her and Harry had visited before their first year at Hogwarts so many years before.  
>As they set off along the street, a number of ragged people sat huddled in doorways; they were moaning to the few passers-by, pleading for gold, insisting that they were really wizards; the beggars glimpsed Hermione. They seemed to melt away before her, drawing hoods over their faces and fleeing as fast as they could; that was until one man with a bloody bandage over his eye staggered right across her path.<br>"My children and wife!" he bellowed, high-pitched and cracked, pointing at her, he sounded distraught. "Where are my children and wife? What has he done with them? You know, you know!"  
>The man lunged at her, reaching for her throat: then, with a bang and a burst of red light he was thrown backwards on to the ground, unconscious. Ron stood there, his wand still outstretched and a look of shock visible behind his beard. While a little knot of prosperous-looking passers-by gathered their robes about them and broke into gentle trots, keen to vacate the scene.<p>

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>"Why, Madam Lestrange!" come a cry from behind them, Sam and Harry whirled around and Griphook tinghtened his hold around Harry's neck: a tall, thin wizard with a crown of bushy, grey hair and a long, sharp nose was striding towards them. Sam recognized him as Travers; one of the Death Eaters who had been summoned to the Lovegood's house. Hermione had drawn herself up to her fullest height and said, with as much contempt as she could muster, "and want do you want?"<p><p>Travers stopped in his tracks, clearly affronted. Sam who was the closest to Hermione whispered in her ear.  
>"I merely sought to greet you," Travers said coolly, "but if my presence is not welcome..."<br>"No, no, not at all, Travers," said Hermione quickly, to cover up her mistake. "How are you?"  
>"Well, I confess I am surprised to see you out and about, Bellatrix."<br>"Really and why is that?" asked Hermione.  
>"Well," Travers coughed, "I heard that the inhabitants of Malfoy Manor were confined to the house, after the... ah... escape. I also heard that you have been sending word around; if anyone has seen the young miss Potter to return her to the house and her new husband, how goes the search?"<br>Sam tensed and willed Hermione to keep her head. If this was true and Bellatrix was not supposed to be out in public; and sending word to return her to Draco-  
>"The Dark Lord forgives those who have served him most faithfully in the past," said Hermione, in Bellatrix's most contemptuous manner. "Perhaps your credit is not as good with him as mine is, Travers. As for my nephew's new wife, the search has had some leads; we are hoping to have her returned to the Manor by the end of the we, then she'll be joining him at Hogwarts."<br>Though the Death Eater looked offended, he also seemed to be less suspicious.

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>Hermione had no choice but to fall into step beside him and head along the crooked, cobbled street towards Gringotts. A watchful Death Eater was the very last thing they needed. They arrived at the foot of the marble steps that lead up to the great bronze doors all to soon, also as Griphook had already warned them; the liveried goblins who usually flanked the entrance had been replaced by two wizards, both of whom were clutching long, thin golden rods.<p><p>

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>Two stone goblins stood before the first of the inner doors, which were made of silver; carried the poem warning of dire retribution to potential thieves. The liveried goblins that usually flank the outer doors, were now flanking the last set if inner doors of gold. But within seconds they were standing in the vast marble hall of the bank, The long counter was manned by goblins ready to serve the first customers of the day.<p><p>

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><strong>AN:** **Next part will be heading to the Lestrange family Vault and finding the Horcrux**


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: What happens when the Slytherin prince tells his deranged aunt that he's kinda in love with the Gryffindor golden girl and Princess, but she's in love with one of the Weasley twins. So in this part of the one-shot we have Harry, Sam, Ron and Hermione along with Griphook break into the Lestrange family vault and finding the Horcrux. Also let's for the sake of this story say that there is a marriage spell. Next part will be heading back to Hogwarts and finding the Ravenclaw Horcrux as well as the in this part of the one-shot we have Harry, Sam, Ron and Hermione along with Griphook break into the Lestrange family vault and finding the Horcrux. This part is in Sam's point of view.**

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><p>They headed towards an old goblin who was examining a thick gold coin through an eyeglass. The goblin tossed the coin he was holding aside, said to nobody in particular, "Leprechaun," and then greeted Travers who stepped up first, passing over a tiny golden key, which was examined and given back to him. Hermione stepped forward.<p>

"Madam Lestrange!" said the goblin, startled. "Dear me! How-how may I help you today?"

"I wish to enter my vault," said Hermione.

The goblin seemed to recoil a little, Sam looked around; not only was Travers hanging back, but several other of the closer goblins had looked up from their work to watch. Sam elbows Harry for him to see what was going on. Before Sam know what happened Harry had raised the hawthorn ward, pointed it at the old goblin and whispered, "Imperio!"

Travers, had now approached the counter again; still the goblin all around were watching. Harry acted again, this time pointing the wand at Travers, he muttered, "Imperio!" once more.

"So, if you will follow me, Madam Lestrange," said the old goblin. "I shall take you to your vault."

And with that he hopped down off his stool and vanished from sight, he appeared around the end of the counter; jogging happily towards them. He then hurried them towards one of the many doors leading off the hall. Sam noticed that Travers was walking meekly in their wake as they reached the door and passed into the rough stone passageway beyond, which was lit with flaming torches; Sam guessed that Harry had made Travers come with them.

"We're in trouble, they suspect," said Sam, as the door slammed behind and Harry pulled off the Invisibility Cloak. Griphook jumped down from his shoulders; neither Travers nor Bogrod showed any surprise at the sudden appearance of Harry and Samantha Potter in their midst.

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><p>"What are we going to do?" asked Ron. "Shall we get out now, while we still can?"<p>

"If we can." said Hermione.

"We've got this far, I say say we keep going," Sam answered, shaking her head. "The soon we get in, the soon get out."

"Good!" said Griphook. "So, we will need Bogrod to control the cart; I no longer have the authority."

"We don't need Travers," Harry added, pointing his wand at Travers."Imperio!"

The wizard turned and set off in the opposite direction.

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><p>Bogrod whistled to summon a cart which came trundling along the tracks towards them out of the darkness. They all clambered into it. With a jerk the cart moved off, gathering speed, twisting and turning, sloping downwards; through the labyrinth of passages.<p>

They were deeper than Sam and Harry had ever penetrated within Gringotts. Sam thought she heard Griphook shout: "NO!" Just then water filled her eyes and mouth: then, with an awful lurch, they were all thrown out of the cart.

"The Thief's Downfall!" said Griphook, clambering to his feet. "It washes away all enchantment, all magical concealment!"

Sam almost screamed for joy, trying to see if the ring on her finger would come off: but no luck, it looked like the Downfall didn't wash away the enchantment on the ring; she cursed.

"We still need Bogrod," said Griphook, Sam looked up to see the goblin shaking his head: the Thief's Downfall had lifted the Imperius Curse. "We cannot enter the vault without a Gringotts goblin."

"Imperio!"Sam said, pointing her wand at the goblin; her voice echoed through the stone passage.

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><p>As they turned a corner, they came to a sudden halt: A gigantic dragon was tethered to the ground in front of them. barring access to five of the deepest vaults in the place. The beast's scales had turned ghostly pale from it's long incarceration under the ground.<p>

"It is partially blind,but even more savage for that" Griphook panted, Sam noticed then that it's eyes were milkily pink: she had a funny feeling if both Charlie and Anna saw it they would be very seriously mad, for the fact both of them loved dragons. "However we have the means to control it. It has learned what to expect when the Clankers come."

Bogrod started to pull out a number of small metal instruments from a bag that Sam didn't remember them bringing with them. Both rear legs of the dragon bore heavy cuffs from which chains led to enormous pegs driven deep into the rocky floor.

"We have to shake them," Griphook told Harry, Sam, Ron, and Hermione. "It will expect pain when it hears the noise. It will retreat, and Bogrod must place his palm upon the door of the vault."

They advance, shaking the Clankers, and the noise echoed off the rocky walls, grossly magnified. The dragon let out another hoarse roar, then retreated. Sam could see it trembling, and as they drew nearer she saw the scars made by vicious slashes across its face, and guess that it had been whipped to; and had gone blind from some of the slashes.

"Make him press his hand to the door!" Griphook urged Sam, who turned her wand again upon Bogrod. Bogrod holds up his hand, waggles it. Bogrod strides forth, blissfully ignoring the dragon's bobbing head and the old goblin obeyed, pressing his palm to the door of the vault which melts away to reveal a cavelike opening crammed from floor to ceiling with golden coins and goblets.

"Search, fast!" said Harry as they all hurried inside the vault. He had described Hufflepuff's cup to Ron and Hermione, but if it was the other, unknown Horcrux that resided in this vault, he did not know what it looked like. He barely had time to glance around, however, before there was a muffled clunk from behind them: The door had reappeared, sealing them inside the vault, and they were plunged into total darkness.

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><p>"Light your wands." said Griphook.<p>

"Lumos!"

"Harry, Sam! Could this be...? Aargh!"

Hermione screamed in pain, Sam and Harry turned their wands on her in time to see a jeweled goblet tumbling from her grip. But as it fell, it split, became a shower of goblets, so that a second later, with a great clatter, the floor was covered in identical cups rolling in every direction, the original impossible to discern amongst them.

"It burned me!" moaned Hermione, sucking her blistered fingers.

"They have added Germino and Flagrante Curses!" said Griphook. "Everything you touch will burn and multiply, but the copies are worthless and if you continue to handle the treasure, you will eventually be crushed to death by the weight of expanding gold!"

"Okay, don't touch anything!" said Harry desperately, but even as he said it, Ron accidentally nudged one of the fallen goblets with his foot, and twenty more exploded into being while Ron hopped on the spot, part of his shoe burned away by contact with the hot metal.

"Stand still, don't move!" said Hermione, clutching at Ron.

"Just look around!" said Sam, in a harsh whisper. "Remember, the cup's small and gold, it's got a badger engraved on it, two handles otherwise see if you can spot Ravenclaw's symbol anywhere, the eagle."

They directed their wands into every nook and crevice, turning cautiously on the spot. It was impossible not to brush up against anything; Harry sent a great cascade of fake Galleons onto the ground where they joined the goblets, and now there was scarcely room to place their feet.

"It's there, it's up there!"

"And how the hell are we going to get up there without touching anything?" asked Ron.

"Accio Cup!" cried Hermione, who had evidently forgotten in her desperation what Griphook had told them during their planning sessions.

"I wish I had my broom!" Sam hissed under her breath.

"No use, no use!" snarled the goblin.

"Then what do we do?" said Harry, glaring at the goblin. "If you want the sword, Griphook, then you'll have to help us more than..."

"The Sword! Hermione give Harry the sword!" Sam shouted, in pure happiness.

Hermione fumbled insider her robes, drew out a beaded bag, rummaged for a few seconds, then removed the shining sword. Harry seized it by its rubied hilt and touched the tip of the blade to a silver flagon nearby, which did not multiply.

"Harry If you can just poke the sword through a handle."

The shelf on which the cup reposed was out of reach for any of them, even Ron, who was tallest.

It was Griphook who had seen it and Griphook who lunged, and in that instant Harry knew that the goblin had never expected them to keep their word. One hand holding tightly to a fistful of Harry's hair, to make sure he did not fall into the heaving sea of burning gold, Griphook seized the hilt of the sword and swung it high out of Harry's reach. The tiny golden cup, skewered by the handle on the sword's blade was flung into the air. Sam dived and caught it, and although she could feel it scalding her flesh she did not relinquish it, even while countless Hufflepuff cups burst from her fist, raining down upon her as the entrance of the vault opened up again and she found herself sliding uncontrollably on an expanding avalanche of fiery gold and silver that bore her, Harry, Ron, Hermione into the outer chamber.


End file.
